UMass Memorial Provides Virtual Medicine to Infants

UMass Memorial Medical Center, a Council member, has launched a new virtual medicine program that will allow neonatal intensive care unit doctors to engage more patients across the Central Massachusetts region. As the only hospital in the region with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the doctors will now be able to offer their expertise at more hospitals.

When an infant is born in distress at one of the community hospitals in Central Massachusetts, a team is dispatched from UMass Memorial to bring the baby to the NICU. Under the new virtual care system, video conferencing will be introduced that will allow neonatologists to consult with doctors and nurses while the medical team is dispatched to the infant. In addition to treating infants, virtual care has been applied by dermatologists at UMass Memorial, and will soon be expanded to cover other areas of medical care.

David Smith, Associate Vice President for Virtual Medicine at UMass Memorial explained, “We want to make this part of how we deliver health care in the future. . . Telemedicine won’t one day be distinguished as something separate or unique. It’ll be just part of how we deliver care.”

The NEC applauds UMass Memorial Medical Center for enhancing the ability of doctors to treat their patients and for advancing access to medical consultation.